Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G39/00—Rollers, e.g. drive rollers, or arrangements thereof incorporated in roller-ways or other types of mechanical conveyors 
  • B65G39/10—Arrangements of rollers
  • B65G39/12—Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G15/00—Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49718—Repairing
  • Y10T29/49721—Repairing with disassembling
  • Y10T29/4973—Replacing of defective part

Definitions

• the present invention relates to conveyor systems for handling bulk materials and, in particular, relates to support structures and frames for mounting conveyor idlers which are used to support conveyor belts.
• the present invention is principally concerned with the removal and/or replacement of conveyor idlers (or rollers) from a conveyor system.
• An idler is typically a cylindrical shaped component that rotates on a fixed central shaft, the central shaft being mounted on a frame structure. In order to minimize friction, an idler would rotate on the central shaft by way of bearings.
• a frame structure would support and mount a number of idlers.
• a frame structure may include three carry (or top) idlers, which support the conveyor belt on its forward path, and one or more return (or bottom) idlers underneath the carry idlers which support the conveyor belt on its return path.
• a typical conveyor system would have frame structures positioned along the length of the conveyor at intervals of between 1.5m to 3m.
• Idlers have a limited life due to two main fail conditions, the first being bearing failure by way of collapsing or seizing and the second being wear on the shell of the idler producing holes in the idler shell walls.
• the first being bearing failure by way of collapsing or seizing and the second being wear on the shell of the idler producing holes in the idler shell walls.
• the conveyor belt To replace an idler, the conveyor belt firstly needs to be stopped and electrically isolated.
• the belt is required to be physically lifted to remove downward pressure on the idler to allow the idler to be accessed and removed from its frame. It will be appreciated that the need to stop the conveyor causes significant interruptions to production and adds costs for industrial users.
• the process of lifting the belt requires the use of lifting equipment.
• lifting the belt adds tension to the belt which creates a hazardous working environment for personnel accessing the idlers. A weakened belt may snap under increased tension and cause injury to personnel.
• a conveyor idler support frame for rotatably mounting a conveyor idler, said frame being displaceable between an operation position and an idler removal position; wherein, in said operation position, said frame places a mounted idler in operational engagement with a conveyor belt; and wherein, in said idler removal position, said frame brings said mounted idler out of engagement with said conveyor belt to allow said idler to be removed from said frame.
• the frame is preferably pivoted between said operation position and said idler removal position.
• the frame can include a cam mechanism for laterally displacing the frame during pivoting.
• a removable lever located at the side of a conveyor belt allows the frame to be manually displaced and a locking mechanism allows the frame to be locked into a selected position.
• the frame includes a pivotal shaft and idler support arms extending from said pivotal shaft, each arm having a hook and slot arrangement for receiving and rotatably mounting an idler shaft on opposing sides of said idler.
• the frame is part of a support structure which includes an idler cradle arranged with respect to said support frame such that, as said support frame is displaced from said operation position to said idler removal position, said idler cradle engages said mounted idler and demounts said idler from said support frame.
• the structure includes an access passage arranged between said idler cradle and a side of said conveyor to allow a demounted idler to be removed from said idler cradle and/or load a replacement idler onto said idler cradle.
• the inventive arrangement advantageously allows the removal and replacement of conveyor idlers without necessarily requiring the running of a conveyor to be stopped.
• the inventive arrangement does not require the lifting of a conveyor belt and facilitates a safer working environment for personnel.
• Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a conveyor idler support structure
• Fig. 2 is a side view of the structure of Fig. 1 showing the different positions for the idler support frames;
• Fig. 3 is view of the cam mechanism;
• Fig. 4 is a view of the mounting arrangement on an arm of the support frame.
• Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of a conveyor idler support structure 10.
• This structure includes five idlers: three carry (or top) idlers 12, 14, 16, supporting the conveyor belt 18 on its forward path, and two return (or bottom) idlers 20, 22, supporting the conveyor belt 18 on its return path.
• Each idler is rotatably mounted on its own support frame.
• the structure also includes five idler cradles
• Each cradle 24 extends horizontally from said structure 10 and is positioned below a respective frame.
• Each support frame is made up of a shaft 26, extending to a side of the support structure 10 and a pair of arms 28, extending from the shaft 26.
• the shaft 26 is arranged so that it can be rotated from the side of the support structure 10 by way of a lever (not shown) and cam mechanism 30.
• the lever is arranged to be removable so that it can be used on any support frame shaft. Rotating the shaft 26 causes the support frame to pivot about an axis defined by the shaft length.
• the cam mechanism 30, as shown in Fig. 3 causes the support frame to laterally displace while the frame is being pivoted.
• Each arm 28 includes a hook and slot arrangement 32 for engaging a slot on a central shaft 34 of an idler, as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement allows for the mounting and demounting of an idler from the frame, as explained later.
• Fig. 1 all of the idler frames are shown in an operation position. In other words, each frame is in a position where the arms 28 are vertical, the idlers are mounted in the slots of the arms 28 and the idlers are in operational engagement with the conveyor belt 18.
• the lever In order to remove an idler, the lever is used to turn the shaft 26 of the respective support frame causing the frame, and hence the idler, to pivot away from its operation position. If present, the cam mechanism 30 also causes the idler to move downwards away from the belt 18 which assists the pivoting action by lessening the pressure from the belt on the idler.
• a lock mechanism (not shown) associated with the shaft 26 of each support frame allows a support frame to be retained in its operation position. It will be apparent that the locking mechanism needs to be disabled before the lever can be used to turn the shaft 26 of a support frame.
• the lock mechanism can take a number of suitable forms.
• One preferred form includes providing a flange 36 extending from the shaft of a support frame adjacent the side of the support structure 10.
• the flange 36 includes a hole which, in the operation position, coincides with a hole in the side of the support structure 10.
• a pin or screw can be inserted through the hole in the flange 36 into the hole in the support structure 10 to retain the shaft 26 in the operation position.
• the flange 36 may include a spring-loaded pin which engages the hole in the support structure 10 when the flange 36 is in the operation position.
• other forms of locking mechanisms could be employed, including ones which would allow the support frame to be locked into any selected position.
• Fig. 2 there is shown the various support frames pivoting from the operation position to an idler removal position.
• gravity moves the idler along the slot in the arm 28 of the support frame to the hook portion.
• the idler is captured by the respective cradle 24.
• the idler demounts from the support frame via the hook portion.
• the idler can then be removed from the cradle 24 from the side of the structure 10.
• a replacement idler can then be placed on the cradle 24, mounted on the support frame and brought to the operation position by pivoting the support frame in the opposite direction.
• a safety barrier is arranged at the side of the structure 10 to prevent personnel from getting past the side of the structure 10 to a position under the conveyor belt 18.
• the barrier will include access portions 38 associated with the cradles to allow idlers to be removed from and loaded onto the cradle 24 from the side of the structure 10.
• the access portion 38 may simply be a hole in the barrier.
• a central idler 14 for example the central carry idler 14 in Fig. 1 , further means are required to safely remove the idler 14 from and load a replacement idler onto the respective cradle 24. As shown in Fig.
• access tubes 40 are arranged on either side of and in alignment with the cradle 24 associated with the central idler 14.
• a replacement idler is loaded from the side of the structure via an access tube 40.
• the replacement idler is pushed through the access tube 40 it, in turn, pushes the central idler 14 into the opposing access tube 40 and replaces the central idler 14 on the cradle 24.
• the replaced central idler 14 can then be accessed and removed from the opposing access tube 40.
• the system would include a number of the described support structures 10 arranged along its length, spaced apart by 1.5m to 3m. Normally, only one idler of the plurality of idlers on a support structure 10 would need to be replaced at a time. It has been found that the replacement of one idler, using the support frame and structure 10 described, can be conducted whilst maintaining the running of the conveyor belt 18. Conveyor belts run under tension. During replacement of an idler, sufficient support for the belt 18 is provided by the other idlers on the support structure 10 and the idlers on adjacent support structures until the replacement idler is its operation position. While the present invention has been described with reference to a specific preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes could be made to this embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
• Framework For Endless Conveyors (AREA)
• Rollers For Roller Conveyors For Transfer (AREA)
• Drives For Endless Conveyors (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

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Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2006
  • 2006-03-23 ZA ZA200708861A patent/ZA200708861B/xx unknown
  • 2006-03-23 US US11/910,085 patent/US7617925B2/en active Active
  • 2006-03-23 BR BRPI0609591-7A patent/BRPI0609591A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-03-23 CN CN2006800109328A patent/CN101155741B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-03-23 WO PCT/AU2006/000389 patent/WO2006102699A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-03-23 CA CA2603395A patent/CA2603395C/en active Active
  • 2006-03-23 AU AU2006228973A patent/AU2006228973B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-03-29 AR ARP060101208A patent/AR052723A1/es active IP Right Grant

Patent Citations (4)

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